Creeping conservatism ;^)

[diamondsoul]

Just wondering if anyone else has noticed a creeping conservatism in their political views over the past 30-40 years? Or would that be creepy conservatism? .

I used to be a bit more left of center but I've noticed in the past decade or so that in some aspects I've begun leaning to the right a bit. Guess it's a natural part of the aging process.

I like fiscal conservatism as in how our former minister of finance, Paul Martin, got Canada's deficit under control when he was controlling the purse strings. I doubt very much if Canada would have fared as well during this recent economic downturn if it wasn't for Martin's conservative financial policies.

I'm not so much a social conservative but have been noticing myself thinking lately about all the special interest groups that have been bemoaning the recent cuts in their government funding: "get over it, if you're doing something worthwhile you should be able to raise funds". Same with all the moaning and groaning of First Nations people here with the truth and reconciliation process to do with residential schools.

I've talked first hand with First Nations folks that loved their residential school experience. You think their opinions are going to be heard, no way. If they were to publicly voice their positive experiences they'd get shot down by their own folks right away.

Also it's quite evident that all the money that has been given to First Nations folks in this process has for the most part been wasted on them. They've blow it, which is their prerogative I suppose but perhaps they shouldn't be eligible for automatic welfare if they chose to blow those tens of thousands of dollars on trips to the casino.

There is this one single mom on a reserve in Alberta that received 260 thousand dollars as a part of the settlement made with her band. She's got nothing left of the money or anything to show for it and guess what, she's back on the dole. At least a certain percentage of all that money should have been put in trust for her kids. And guess what, because her newish home is likely to be trashed 10 years from now she will get on the band wagon complaining about the condition of housing on her reserve. Something wrong with that picture.

Cheers

Lar

[merrylander]

Canada got a write up in the WashPost today, it seems a couple of reporters up there for the G20 found out about the CMHC and Canada's intelligent mortgage system. They were a bit put off by the 'no mortgage interest deduction' but did not mention that there is no capital gains tax on the sale of your home - I assume that is still in effect?

I was a member of the Conservative Party when I lived there - of course that was the Joe Clark PC not the mish mash of Reform and PC it is now.

[diamondsoul]

No capital gains if you are living in the house when it is sold.

Also there are deductions/grant you get on property tax if it is your first home.

Cheers

Lar

[Fast_Eddie]

If anything I've gotten a little more liberal as I've gotten older.

[merrylander]

You have to realize that 'conservative' in Canada has a whole different definition than down here.

Hey who sets the exchange rates? The WashPost said the $CDN was 0.9725 but we got 0.9913.

[d-ray657]

I've mentioned before that my lifestyle is much more conservative than my politics. For the most part, I doubt the religious right would be much concerned with how we live, if it were any of their business anyway. Nevertheless, I would not want to sentence anyone else to living as I live. I make my choices, and they should be free to make theirs. However, I believe now, like I have always believed, that the public portion of our lives - our dealings with each other in commerce - are more subject to regulation because of how much the way we undertake our commercial relations affects others. If we exploit workers, misrepresent the value of our products, include dangerous chemicals in our products, pollute the environment with our production methods, and otherwise subject others to harm, it is in the government's interest to protect the public from such conduct.

Regards,

D-Ray

[diamondsoul]

"include dangerous chemicals in our products, pollute the environment with our production methods, and otherwise subject others to harm, it is in the government's interest to protect the public from such conduct."

I wish our Canadian government was a little more proactive when it comes to stuff like this. Unless someone gets sick and dies they almost never put out product warnings. Same with prescription drugs. Our version of the FDA OKed Thalidomide where there was a very smart lady in the FDA who bucked the system and didn't allow it to be OKed in the US. She almost lost her job over it but in hind sight she's quite a hero.

Industry has way too much say in what we ingest.

About conservatives in Canada. Our prime minister Steven Harper is actually trying to keep up with his ol' hero George Bush Jr. in his style of conservatism. Very right winged, especially when it comes to government information. It's certain that some Canadian government officials were privy to information about detainees being tortured by the Afghan police that they were handing those detainees over to. Harper is not allowing that info to go public through using the 'state secret' card.

He's been running Canada like his private little fiefdom for the past several years even though his party only has a minority government.

Can't wait till we can dump the idiot. Problem is that there are no term limits here in Canuckland.

Cheers

Lar

[BlueStreak]

I'm finding that fiscally, I'm getting more conservative as I age. But, that would still put me to the left of some of you guys.

Socially, the trend is the opposite. I am much more forgiving on matters concerning race and I have learned to mind my own business when it comes to the sexual orientation of others. Finding out I have a sister, whom I love very much, is lesbian has radically changed my views on that. Living and working in an environment where white folks are the minority has taught me a lot about race. I no longer hate "brown people". (Or fear rather, because fear is what really lies at the heart of hate.) Now, that's not to say I wasn't a bit nervous when I got lost in Philly last March................I'm more tolerant these days, not stupid.

Oh, and my own lifestyle is so conservative it's downright boring.

Dave

[merrylander]

I always figured Harper for a Boosh hand-puppet, but then the whole Reform Party struck me as GOP wannabees.

[diamondsoul]

I think that the thing that has really begun to bug me about partisan politics is that even the best of ideas often get shut down just because. Just because the idea came from the other party.

I do wonder though if politics in Canada and the US may eventually end up going the way of Britain where coalition governments are the norm and not the exception. Seems to be going that way here at least. You'd need some more viable parties in the US for that to ever happen.

As with Dave I have become more forgiving or perhaps accepting of race although you may not read that in what I said about First Nations people here in Canada. I guess my experience of living on a reserve for two years and having my wife work for First Nations independent schools for 10 years jaded my opinion a bit . I got to see first hand that most of the issues that plague First Nations people are self created and that no amount of money will effectively change those issues. Free money doesn't create a sense of self worth.

It has been very strange with Harper. It has almost been like he has a bizarre desire to out Bush Bush. When it looked as though his minority government would get the boot in the fall of 2008 he simply Prorogued parliament:

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.p...t=va&aid=16743

There are a lot of Canadians who felt like they have no say when the ruling party can simply shut down government whenever they want to stay in power.

Cheers

Lar